Howard Fine

Fine completed his BA in Communication/Theater at Rhode Island College. After completing graduate school in Boston, Fine moved to New York City, where he landed his first teaching job at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy. After one semester of teaching, he was promoted to head of the Acting Department at the age of 24, making him the youngest head in the studio’s history. It was here that he developed a year-long training program known as "The Foundation", a version of which he still teaches at his studios in Los Angeles and Melbourne, Australia.

In 1985, Fine moved to Los Angeles with his best friend, Voice coach David Coury. Fine began his career in Los Angeles by privately coaching students in his living room, but in 1988, he had to expand to accommodate his growing classes. His studio relocated four times since this 1980's before occupying its present location, 317 N. La Brea Ave at Beverly Blvd. Fine received national recognition for his teaching in 2006 when named "Best Acting Teacher in Los Angeles" in Back Stage West's "Best of Los Angeles" issue.[1] Fine is still a full-time acting teacher and coach, and throughout the year he teaches his 9-week Foundation course, as well as several sections of ongoing scene study. His techniques are mostly derivative of Uta Hagen's teachings, and offer actors a practical approach of working in all media: whereas most acting schools focus on either imagination or hyper-realism, Fine believes actors need both. The Howard Fine Acting Studio is home to a unique Speech & Singing for Actors program, various intensives for actors of all experience levels, and a monthly series of entertainment industry talks made available to the public. He also offers annual masterclasses in Sydney, Australia, and at his studio in Melbourne, Australia. Howard is an adjunct faculty member for the University of Texas Austin's Theater & Dance Department,[2] and teaches students visiting from various college/conservatory programs at his Los Angeles studio. Fine has a list of students spanning decades which include working actors, celebrity singers, professional athletes, and artists who have gone on to win Tony, Emmy, and Academy Awards.[3]

In addition to being an acting coach, Fine is also an accomplished theater director. He claims to have directed Michael Chiklis when he replaced Rob Becker in Defending the Caveman, on Broadway although The Internet Broadway Data Base has no record of this or any other broadway credits. [4] Other credits include directing Elizabeth Berkley, Aasif Mandvi, Ally Sheedy, and Rachel Dratch in David Lindsay-Abaire's That Other Person as part of the best of the 24-hour plays on Broadway. Again, the IBDB has no record of this. [5] He won a Drama-logue award and received an Ovation Award nomination[6] for his direction of Billy Campbelll in Fortinbras.[7]

Fine is the author of Fine on Acting: A Vision of the Craft, from Havenhurst Books. In his book, Fine offers specifics on his technique as well as practical exercises designed to help actors in all levels of the industry. Fine on Acting is required reading for all prospective students at his studios. The book features a foreword by actor Michael Chiklis who writes, "His philosophy and approach to the craft of acting are the most helpful, encouraging and practically applicable I’ve ever encountered."[8] Fine also occasionally contributes to a blog containing teaching insights, expanded thoughts from topics covered in his book, and new thoughts for actors in the ever-changing landscape of show business.

For years, Fine has been asked by the Los Angeles Times to analyze the acting of the Oscar nominees.[9] His Oscar commentary has been featured on Entertainment Tonight, Extra, Access Hollywood, E, Sky TV, BBC, and CNN. In addition to the Los Angeles Times, Fine has been quoted in The Times, The Christian Science Monitor, and USA Today Weekend, and has spoken on numerous radio shows nationwide.[10] Fine has also contributed to the Huffington Post with commentary on current events.[11]

• Most recently, Howard was mentioned on CBS's 60 Minutes during an interview with FBI agent and author Tamer Elnoury. In the interview, Elnoury credited Fine with giving him acting training which saved his life while working undercover to disrupt a terror cell.
• Howard Fine is thanked in the credits of the 2017 Sundance Audience Award-winning film "Crown Heights"[12][13] and has coached both the film's producer Nnamdi Asomugha and his wife, noted actress Kerry Washington.
• Howard Fine's studio was mentioned by the character of "Johnny Drama" in the "I Love You Too" episode of HBO's popular comedy series "Entourage" (season 2, episode 9)
• Carla Gugino has spoken publicly on her training with Howard, and Backstage published an interview in 2010 detailing their history of working together.[14]
• Fine has appeared as himself in numerous reality shows, including Dance Moms, Confessions of a Teen Idol, Next Action Star, The Anna Nicole Show, MTV's The Big Picture, It Girls, Twenty Four-Seven, and on many E! True Hollywood Story and Biography episodes. He also appeared as himself in the film Spiritual Warriors.